As Student Elections are being held for the 2025 Council, we sat down with current Student President Janageeth Logeswaran to chat about his experiences in the role. He also discussed what’s next as he approaches the end of his term and his degree – and why Flinders will still play a part in his future.

What is your role here at Flinders?

I am the Student President for 2024 here at Flinders University. This means that I get to represent the student body both on and off campus. In this role, I am a member of many governance structures within our University, bringing in the student perspective to the table. I am also the first international student to hold this position.

On top of that, I also work for Data and Analytical Services in IDS after finishing my placement in the same team.

What are you studying?

On the cusp of graduating from my Bachelors in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence), I am very much a tech enthusiast. The innovation that happens in the digital space excites me.

What’s the best part about being Student President?

There’s too many, but here’s a few. The diversity of role is something that I greatly enjoy. From meeting with students one-on-one, to working with university governance, to speaking on media, there’s always something different to look forward to everyday.

Being a student president is making the best of the short-term of representing the student body. You are thrown into a lot of unfamiliar territory including policy making, governance, finance committees and strategic relationship building. Whilst this is terrifying at times, it’s also been an incredible learning opportunity. It has given me a different perspective on how university operates that I wasn’t exposed to before. One of my favourite parts of being the Student President has been the people I have met from different walks of life expanding my horizons.

Representing international students and being one myself, I have had the privilege of advocating in a national landscape recently speaking at the Federal Senate Inquiry about the introduction of international student caps and its impact.

Tell us a little about yourself outside of Flinders.

I am a big nerd for books and podcasts. My favourite books of all time are ‘Start with Why’ by Simon Sinek and ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni. Start with why resonates with me because it calls for people to define a clear why in any pursuit. Being a passionate leader myself, a couple of my favourite quotes that I strive to consider in my day to day include:

• “There are only two ways to influence human behaviour: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.”
• “We are drawn to leaders and organizations that are good at communicating what they believe. Their ability to make us feel like we belong, to make us feel special, safe and not alone is part of what gives them the ability to inspire us.”

On the few occasions I leave our beautiful campus, I love traveling and adventuring. Being an international student, exploring the regions gives me a greater appreciation for this country and its people.

What’s next for you?

Reflecting on my time as Student President, I have discovered a passion for leadership and governance. This has led me to apply for my MBA with a finance focus to build on my skills in strategic decision-making complementing data analytics and story-telling.